Tennis results in NOJHL play Saturday

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013

Tennis results in NOJHL play Saturday

SUDBURY – The results Saturday night in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League ended up like a straight sets tennis match with the scores ending up 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in favour of the Soo Thunderbirds, Abitibi Eskimos and Kirkland Lake Gold Miners respectively.

SOO THUNDERBIRDS 6 BLIND RIVER BEAVERS 1 – Anthony Miller fired a hat-trick to help pace Sault Ste. Marie to the road victory over slumping Blind River.

Eric Hillock and Miller gave the Thunderbirds an early lead before Luke MacDonald pulled the Beavers to within one before the opening stanza was complete.

The T-Birds tacked on three more tallies in the middle session to take control, including power play efforts from Miller and Gavin Burbach along with an even strength marker courtesy of Darcy Haines.

Miller then completed his three-goal performance with another man advantage goal with 6:23 to go to conclude the night’s scoring.

Joel Horodziejczyk finished with 31 saves to register his ninth straight win helping the Sault improve to 19-4-0-2.

Dylan Knox faced 35 shots in defeat for Blind River who saw their winless run reach 10 games as they fell to 4-18-0-1 overall.

ABITIBI ESKIMOS 6 ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS 4 – Ryan Tront had two goals and assist to help lift Abitibi to their seventh consecutive triumph at Jus Jordan Arena in the win over Elliot Lake.

The Eskimos jumped out to a 3-2 after the opening 20 minutes getting markers from Tront, Kealey Cummings and Shane Hiley while Ryan Fletcher and Brett Wagner countered for the Bobcats.

Tront tacked on his second of the night 29 seconds into the middle stanza while Brady Clouthier scored for a third straight game later on to put the home side up 5-2.

Aviv Milner then brought Elliot Lake to within two before the period was complete.

Andrew Palushaj followed that by finding the back of the net in the first minute of the third, but Andrew Green iced it for the Eskimos with an empty net effort at 19:22.

Sylvain Miron stopped 30 pucks to pick up the victory for Abitibi who improved to 11-9-0-2 on the season.

Alex Bitsakis started for the Bobcats and allowed three goals on nine shots in 11 minutes of work before giving way to Etienne Roy the rest of the way. Roy had 18 saves in relief and suffered the setback and Elliot Lake slipped to 11-8-0-3 on the year.

KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS 6 ESPANOLA RIVERMEN 2 – The Gold Miners ran their franchise-best winning streak to eight games in the home ice win over visiting Espanola.

Samuel Wilbur and Austin Rust both had big nights for Kirkland Lake with four points apiece to help lead the club in the victory.

After Corbin Bean put the Rivermen in front with a first period power play marker, the Gold Miners tallied twice in 13 seconds to grab a 2-1 lead after one period of play thanks to efforts from Rust and Alex Hulford.

Espanola pulled level early in the second as Bean set-up Brandon Janke for the equalizer at 1:47.

Kirkland Lake countered with two markers of their own before the second session was complete thanks to Wilbur and Dan Morin.

They then put the game away in the third with Steven Babin and Wilbur both finding the back of the net to wrap-up the night’s offensive production.

The Gold Miners outshot the Rivermen 31-25 with Kenny Fitzgerald recording the win and Marc Terriault the loss.

With the triumph Kirkland Lake improved to 19-2-0-1 while Espanola slid to 15-10.

NOJHL play resumes Monday as North Bay hosts Blind River in a 7:30 p.m. start at West Ferris Arena.